We often have no idea where the words we use come from. We use them, they convey meaning and we move on. Sometimes, their origin makes perfect sense though. This is the case with the word “Lieutenant.” A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in the armed forces. The word comes from the French language and combines two other words. The first is “lieu,” which means “in place” as in a position. And the second word is “tenant,” which means “holding” or “holding in position.”
Thus, a lieutenant is someone who holds a position in absence of his superior officer. And despite the fact that this makes perfect sense, in the 19th century, British writers argued that the word was too difficult for common soldiers and sailors. They wanted it to be replaced by the easier to pronounce “steadholder.” Their efforts failed, however, and the word “lieutenant” remains in use today.